Greatest Fear
by Oblivious
Summary: Through the wiles of a mysterious device, the children are faced with a sadistic fate...
1. Innocence

Disclaimer is at the end of the fic, for it contains a spoiler.

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**_Greatest Fear_**

Chapter 1... "Innocence"   
  
By: Oblivious

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"Shinji! Pay attention when I'm talking to you!! Where are you looking?!" demanded a vexed looking red head named Asuka, shaking a half eaten ham sandwich in front of her.

The black haired boy named Shinji gave a start and turned his eyes away from the pretty much soft-spoken, azure haired girl he had careened into this morning, who was at the moment munching on a granola bar and poring over a thick looking book, apparently oblivious to the sizable group of drooling male students goggling at her from the next table. He was thinking of saying sorry to her for that incident but didn't know how to go about it… he still remembered that her underwear was exactly the same color as her hair…

It was recess. Sitting opposite each other at one of the canteen tables were Shinji and Asuka, who were of course wearing their school uniform, apart from the fuzzy, mosaic-like shade created by the morning sun shining through the overhanging leaves and branches of a nearby plum tree, in the full bloom of spring.

"Sorry…" mumbled Shinji distractedly, his apologetic eyes focusing on Asuka again.

"What were we talking about again?" he asked absentmindedly, unwary of Asuka's utmost annoyance at those who didn't give her their full, undivided attention.

He paid for this oversight with a sharp crack to his crown.

"Owww… Asuka! Don't do that!" complained Shinji, massaging his head.

"It's your own fault for not listening you baka!!" yelled Asuka.

"If I have to repeat myself again you are REALLY going to get it. Seriously, people are going to think that you're dyslexic."

_Seriously… why do I put up with her?_ Shinji thought to himself.

_Because she's dead cute?_ he found himself thinking.

_Good point._

_There's also the fact we grew up together and all…_

"Are you going to get to the point?" asked Shinji tiredly, using the phrase he kept hearing his father use on the phone.

"Now listen up…" said Asuka, with only a shadow of her fury glowing behind her true blue eyes.

_Hmmm… that boy was looking at me… what was his name…Ikari Shinji? _ thought Rei Ayanami, looking up from her book to glimpse Shinji, who was sitting a few tables away.

_It wasn't really a perverted glance as expected though…_

Just then, she shuddered when she felt the collective gazes of a certain group of male students boring into the back of her head, to her actual back and beyond. Rei was already used to this sort of attention, but there was something about it that never failed to make her skin crawl…

She turned her eyes back to her book.

_At least I have a legal form of slave labor…_

_Neheheh…_

_I wonder what's on Ikari's mind…_

She looked at Shinji again and then to Asuka, who to even a passerby would seem like the supervisor in their relationship.

_Poor boy._

_I wonder why he stays around such a bossy and overbearing girl like that…_

_She does seem protective of him though…_ thought Rei, remembering how Asuka stuck up for Shinji in class. Her defense of him had been pretty spirited.

"Is this seat taken?" asked a smooth, kind sounding voice.

Ignoring the sudden up rise in gasping behind her, Rei looked up to see to whom the voice belonged to.

"I am Nagisa, Kaworu Nagisa." said the owner of the voice, politely extending his hand and subjecting Rei to a warm smile.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Ayanami."

_New and all by herself... poor girl must be lonely. _ thought Kaworu.

_Blue… strange hair though…_

"Pleased to meet you too Mr. Nagisa." replied Rei, returning the smile.

"Just call me Rei."

"Kaworu is fine too." beamed Kaworu.

"Ahh... and the seat's not taken." said Rei amiably.

"Don't mind if I do…" said Kaworu, taking the seat opposite Ayanami.

_What sincerity…_ thought Rei to herself.

_He seems different from those perverts behind me…_

_Not to mention his pure white skin…_

_Just like mine…_

_His hair is white too…_

_If he's respectable I won't treat him like trash._

_Oh my…_

Rei just noticed it when she looked into Kaworu's eyes.

_He has red eyes…_

"So how did you know my name?" asked Rei as she leant forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table as her hands formed a bridge at her nose.

"Well, apparently I am in the same class as you." stated Kaworu, mirroring Rei's posture.

"Ehhh…" said Rei looking to the side of the table, slightly embarrassed.

"You read Jeffery Archer too?" observed Kaworu as he recognized the book Rei was reading.

_A shared interest… I may be conversing with her much more in the future…_ Observed Kaworu silently.

_I wasn't so sure from my seat… but those eyes… they're red too. _He thought, glancing at Rei's crimson eyes.

"Yes… he's a fabulous writer… although he is rather fond of unhappy endings." said Rei breathlessly.

"Aahh yes… but sometimes they're just amazing, especially when he plays on our habitual assumptions then delivers something totally unexpected." Said Kaworu.

"That's one of the reasons why he's fabulous." said Rei, when she noticed how Kaworu was looking at her.

Kaworu was looking at Rei appraisingly from behind his hands. Rei felt her face grow slightly warm from being looked at so intently, and hoped her face wasn't showing any sign of it.

_Not many people can do this to me… I'll have to watch myself around him. _Thought Rei.

_Just _what_ is he thinking?_

Finally, he spoke.

"There are some people I'd like you to meet, want to come along?" offered Kaworu.

"Eerr… sure!" agreed Rei, smiling a tad uneasily.

"Come, they should be around here somewhere…"

_Such a sweet smile…_ Kaworu thought to himself, as he beckoned to Rei.

"A-are you serious?!" Asked Shinji incredulously.

"Are you a man? Don't tell me you're afraid." sneered Asuka as she eyed Shinji haughtily.

"Are you sure we should do that? I'm sure our parents wouldn't approve." protested Shinji weakly.

"Naah, it'll be exciting! We should always be open to new things you know!" wheedled Asuka.

"I was… never good with my hands…" admitted Shinji, still unconvinced.

"We can always get some _tools_ to help us out, besides they're fun to use." said Asuka, dismissing Shinji's concern with a wave of her hand.

"But what if there's no turning back?" Shinji frowned as he voiced his worry.

"Heh… I knew there was something going between you two." Said a girl's familiar voice.

Asuka and Shinji looked on to their side, and standing there were Rei and Kaworu.

"What?" Said Shinji and Asuka at the same time, seemingly puzzled.

"There's no use denying it now… I heard the whole thing." Said Rei, closing her eyes and folding her arms.

_Neheheheh… so many ways I can use this against them in the future… _Thought Rei evilly in her mind.

_Scary girl…_ thought Shinji as he caught the evilness that flashed across Rei's face.

"You guys are brave huh? Talking about such naughty things in public." Continued Rei, this time with a tiny sneer on her face.

Just then, comprehension struck Asuka and Shinji with an oversized mallet and both their faces started glowing crimson like neon signs.

"I-I-I-I-I" Said Shinji very quickly.

"W-we weren't talking about that!!" Shouted Asuka anxiously.

"We swear!" Insisted Shinji, finally clutching hold of his voice.

_Something tells me they're not lying…but still, it's not good for me to just admit that… let's see how they'll respond to this…_ Thought Rei, her cogs of deviousness spinning industriously.

Rei slid gracefully onto the table and rested her cheek on her shoulder, causing Shinji to look nervously to a corner.

"Even if you weren't, there's no doubt in my mind that you guys don't have _that_…" Rei's eyes glinted mischievously as she enunciated the word 'that' suggestively "…kind of relationship."

_If my self-control breaks I'll just die of giggling._ Rei thought to herself, as the pair grew increasingly flustered.

Just then, Kaworu gasped, as though he just noticed something.

"Don't tell me you guys are thinking of retrieving it…" He asked seriously.

"That's what we were talking about!" said Asuka, relieved to find someone who understood.

"That's right!" Agreed Shinji fervently.

Rei simply giggled impishly.

_Been awhile since I had fun like this… I think I'll stick around these guys for a while._ decided Rei.

"I'm sure I felt a chaotic aura around it…" Said Kaworu with certainty in his voice.

_Not completely unlike the one around Rei…but…much, much stronger. _he thought as a side note.

"…it might not be totally safe."

"Kaworu's instincts haven't been wrong so far…" said Shinji to Asuka.

"Tch, if you guys are too afraid to go, I'll do it myself." said Asuka resolutely.

"Who says we're afraid…?" said Shinji.

"A life lived in fear is not much of a life Shinji." admonished Asuka irritably.

"Too true." Agreed Rei, smiling faintly at Asuka.

_Although I don't know WHAT it is their talking about…_ She thought.

"Yes you have a point." nodded Kaworu, his hand scratching his chin.

"So it's settled then! We leave after school!" Said Asuka, slamming her fist into the table.

At this moment, Shinji gave a deep sigh… that earned him an ear twist from Asuka.

"Pain! Pain!" Yelled Shinji.

"Scheisse! If only I could pummel some courage into you…"

Still holding on to the boy's ear, Asuka turned to look a Rei.

"Ayanami, you could come too if you like."

"Mmm… the more the merrier." concurred Kaworu.

"Aahh that's great! I'd love to come along!" beamed Rei cheerfully.

"Oh yeah… and just call me Rei."

"Kaworu! Tell her to stop!" pleaded Shinji.

Kaworu laughed weakly, either at the situation or his own helplessness.

"Okay then Rei, I'll fill you in on what's happening…" said Asuka, finally releasing Shinji from her grip, who breathed a sigh of relief and started massaging his ear.

"We're going for a little trek into the Mitsuhide nature reserve later on…" said Asuka, lifting up a finger.

"You are going to retrieve an artifact?" Asked Rei.

"Yes! It's going to be a little rough, so make sure you come prepared."

"Hmm… it's been a while since I last had a trek…" Said Rei.

"Why is it you want to retrieve this thing?" She asked.

At these words, Asuka stood up from her seat as a maniacal spark ignited in her eyes.

"For adventure!! For knowledge!! And of course, FUN!!" She cheered as she balled her fists in front of her.

_I'm in for a hell of a ride…_ Rei thought to herself fervently as she smiled weakly at Asuka.

**_How true_**…

==========

Greenery… so much greenery. Everywhere one looked would be a moss-covered trunk of a great hardwood tree, some dense undergrowth, or some weird, exotic plant. Amidst the thick humidity in the air was also the constant chirping of cicada, which seemed to have infested the place. Birds would occasionally call to each other, but other than that, there was no sign of animal life at all.

Bringing up the front of the line was Asuka who was wearing a red turtleneck and jeans, followed by Kaworu who wore a black jacket over a white shirt and matching white pants, Shinji, who sported a hooded long sleeved orange jumper and purple pants (A combination Asuka constantly nagged about), and Rei, collared school tee shirt and blue, blue jeans, all decked out in hiking equipment.

"Hey Kaworu… how long have we been walking?" asked an exhausted sounding Shinji.

Kaworu looked up for a moment.

"Judging from the sun… I'd say about one and a half hours." He said, blinking his eyes.

Rei looked at her watch.

"Ninety-six minutes to be exact… Not bad Kaworu."

"There's a low branch here, watch out for it Shinji!" called Asuka from the front.

"I swear… she treats me like a child." grumbled Shinji.

"Isn't that just cute?" commented Rei girlishly.

"I don't find it cute…" mumbled Shinji darkly.

Twenty minutes later… when the land started sloping up…

"Uuurrrgghh…" said Shinji, slouching forward from fatigue.

"Need me to carry your pack Shinji?" offered Kaworu.

"Naahh… I can handle it… we're almost there right?"

_Wow, Shinji's actually trying to act tough._ thought Asuka.

"We'll take a break at the big tree later, I hope you brought your instant." said Asuka.

"Hey anyone have insect repellant? I think I'm out." asked Kaworu.

"I think I should have some…" said Rei, reaching into her pouch.

"Thanks a lot!" said Kaworu as Rei handed over the spray can.

Finally, after about another half an hour of hiking, the trees cleared, and they arrived at a great, dead tree and the summit of a modest hill. There was nothing but thin grass and that great tree on the summit. It seemed to have been struck by lightning one time or another.

Shinji crashed down at the base of the tree.

"Phew… is this the place?"

"No… I think I made a wrong turn somewhere…" said Asuka, with her hand to her chin.

"WHAT??"

"Naah I'm just pulling your leg, I'd never make a wrong move." said Asuka, starting to giggle.

"Yes… I can hear the drums… there's no mistake." said Kaworu.

Shinji breathed a sigh of relief.

"Not funny Asuka…" He said crossly.

Rei cupped her hand to her ear and listened intently… the drumming was clear and distinct… its rhythm was incessant of and reminiscent of ancient African tribes.

"Drums? Here? There are people here?" She asked.

"The drumming… is not made by humans…" said Kaworu cryptically.

"We're probably the only humans in the area for that matter." said Asuka, rummaging through her pack.

"Then… where's the drumming coming from?" asked Rei.

"Up there it seems… said Kaworu, looking up into the charred scar of the tree.

"Okay then let's get cracking!" said Asuka, removing a pickaxe from her pack.

"Kaworu! Rei! You two go gather burnable material. Shinji! You will assist me!" commanded Asuka imperiously.

"Roger!" said Rei enthusiastically, saluting Asuka.

"Yes your highness." Said Kaworu, bowing low and swirling his hand about.

Shinji just sighed.

"The air is much dryer up here…" observed Kaworu as he and Rei walked away from the camp.

"Good for firewood then." said Rei.

"I saw some dried bushes over there just now, let's go gather some." said Kaworu.

They walked in silence for a few moments.

"Kaworu… you have red eyes." said Rei turning to look at him.

"Yes… so do you…" He replied.

"How many people in this world would have them?" wondered Rei, turning back.

"Maybe a couple in a few million." said Kaworu.

"Woah…"

"And… why did you dye your hair blue?" He asked.

"It's not dyed… its natural." said Rei uneasily.

"Wow… now _that's_ rare." said Kaworu, sounding impressed.

"Aahh… I think the bushes should be around here." He said.

_Assisting eh? More like doing the work…_ thought Shinji, as he stuck another safety ring into the trunk of the giant tree.

"Shinji!! You're doing just fine!!" called Asuka from down below.

_How did I get myself into this? _thought Shinji irritably to himself.

_Climbing great big trees to retrieve evil artifacts in the middle of nowhere…_

_For Asuka eh?_

Down below, Asuka scratched her chin.

_Maybe Shinji is braver than he seems… he didn't complain much when I told him he was going to be the one climbing. _thought Asuka to herself.

After a several minutes of Asuka's cheering and Shinji's musing, Shinji finally reached the giant scar in the tree created by the lightning… The drumming was loud… and unmistakable now…

Jutting out of the scar was a long and thin wooden looking box.

"I think I found it!" called Shinji with triumph.

"Good job! Now get it out!" called Asuka from below.

Shinji reached out and pulled it. It was firmly stuck in the tree. After a few minutes of yanking and shaking, it finally came loose. Holding it securely in his hand, Shinji began his descent.

"I'm coming down now!"

"Wooo!! Excellent work Shinji!" Shouted Asuka in elation.

"Yaaay!" Cheered Rei, who had just returned with Kaworu, both of who were carrying a decent amount of dried leaves, twigs and branches.

"Welcome back guys! Now let's get the fire going!" said Asuka.

When Shinji finally set foot upon the firm ground, Kaworu had already gotten the fire going. They were boiling water in a pot for instant ramen…

He held his prize in his hand and looked at it, its origin was vague as it was coated with burnt moss and soot, but its cuboid appearance suggested it was man made.

"Hey Shinji! Bring it here for us to see!" called Asuka from the fire.

"Let me see that…" Said Asuka, and Shinji handed it to her. Rei and Kaworu came around to look at it.

"What is that?" Asked Rei.

"This is it… definitely." Said Kaworu with certainty.

Asuka looked around for a pack and took out a cloth. After cleaning the filth from its surface, its features became apparent.

"This looks like…" Began Rei.

"A board game??" Finished Shinji.

It's four corners had designs of various animals on them and it had its background was a forest design. Emblazoned in bold, intricate lettering over its surface was a strange, arcane word…

_'**JUMANJI'**_

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Author's notes

I hope you enjoyed the surprise enough to look forward to the next chapter =D

I also hope you like the NEW AND IMPROVED **_EVIL REI_**!! ALL HAIL THE **_EVIL REI_**!!!

I finally made a good, long chapter. WOOT!

I am not sure if I should add in Hikari and the other two stooges, these four are already a handful.

Heh... It's not going to be just any animal that comes out of this demon box.

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or Jumanji and I am not using this fic for commercial purposes.


	2. Imprisonment

Disclaimer: I own neither Evangelion nor the aforementioned board game; therefore I am not using it for any commercial purpose.

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**_Greatest Fear_**

Chapter 2... "Imprisonment"   
  
By: Oblivious

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"Mother… help me mother…" pleaded young Kaworu's voice helplessly in the deep darkness.

His eyes stared widely into the black void, cold sweat pouring from his face, as the sound of his desperate, labored breathing infused his overwrought mind. A cold, heavy stone slab was pressing against him. Tiny, child-like hands lay uselessly at his side, gored red from repeated, obsessive attempts to liberate their owner from the ton of rubble that had engulfed him. Aside from this and the overall numbness in his body, he had no critical physical injuries… all the better to prolong his cursed existence in this living hell.

Ages upon ages he had languished in this sightless prison… in the knowledge he was slowly going mad, hearing voices of mother telling him he would be fine, that she would find him, and more recently… damning him.

"Don't… leave me mother…" Kaworu begged the absolute silence around him.

During his tortured slumbers, he had seen visions of himself running freely through the fields, feeling the soothing breeze flying through his jet-black hair flashed through his mind. How he wished those things were… but he had always woken up… woken up to the place were there was no field, and no breeze… only the darkness, binding rock, and the echoes of his crazed mutterings punctuated with his labored panting that only served to prolong his torment.

It was as if he had spent his whole life trapped in this place, happy memories had either deserted him or served to intensify his suffering, and all he knew was the bondage of his movement, the suffocating void, the agony in his arms, and the eternal wait... Once he remembered struggling fruitlessly against his baneful prison, the unseen blood flowing from his anguished arms lying as a testament to this memory… but that was short lived compared to the amount of time he had laid, defeated.

"How… long more…"

"I wish I could just…"

"**_Die_**…"

"Kaworu! The ramen's done." called a girl's voice.

Kaworu opened his eyes.

Staring at him quizzically from around the crackling and flickering campfire was Asuka, Shinji and Rei, and behind them was a big, lightning-struck tree. Judging from the substantial amount of sunlight streaming through the branches of the tree, it was midday. The smell of cooking ramen intermingled with that of burning wood filled the air.

"Kaworu you look terrible…" observed Rei, looking at Kaworu with a concerned look on her face.

"His eyes…" whispered Asuka to Shinji, leaning closer to him.

"…look the same as that time…" finished Shinji as he looked at Kaworu with a sense of worry weighing upon his chest.

"If you don't like ramen I have granola bars." offered Rei good-naturedly.

_His eyes… he looked as if he lost his soul…_ thought Rei to herself.

"Think we should try and take his mind off it…?" Shinji said.

_It's been a long time… since the last time I dreamt that dream…_ thought Kaworu shakily to himself as he ran his fingers through his pure white hair…

Staring nostalgically at a strand of white hair in the palm of his hand, Kaworu sighed deeply.

_How could I ever forget…_

Just then, Kaworu jolted back to reality when he remembered that everyone was watching him intently. Smiling weakly, he decided to apologize.

"Sorry guys… I just have a lot on my mind…"

Asuka rolled her eyes as she slurped her ramen noisily.

"No shit…"

"…and eerr… thanks Rei, but I think I'll go with the Ramen." He said, smiling faintly at Rei.

Shinji handed him a tin of instant.

"There you go." Shinji said amiably.

"Thanks Shinji."

"Soo… what do you reckon?" asked Shinji, jerking a thumb at the innocuous looking rectangular box that was propped against a log in front of the fire.

Kaworu looked gravely into Shinji's eyes.

"All my best instincts tell me that we shouldn't open it…"

"Let's open it!!" suggested Asuka cheerfully.

"Asuka…" said, or sighed Kaworu.

"We didn't come all this way to not open it did we?" reasoned Rei thoughtfully.

"I'm sure all of us are curious about what's inside it." She added.

"Rei's right!" Asuka agreed eagerly, setting aside her empty tin.

"Well if you put it that way…"

"It's decided then!" said Asuka, taking the box and laying it on her lap.

She slid her hand across its elaborately carved surface, searching for an opening.

"This box is a real piece of work…" She commented, visibly impressed.

Locating the opening down the center of the box, she flipped open it's covers, as the sweet smell of old wood escaped from its interior. Shinji, Rei and Kaworu crowded around. Revealed to the party was a playing surface, across which snaked and meandered ivory pawn paths, starting from the four corners and leading to a circular green crystal in the center. The flaps, which were also side panels, had words written on them…

"Hey it's English." Said Shinji as he noticed this.

"A game for those who seek to find a way to leave their world behind…" Asuka translated into Japanese effortlessly.

"It's like a video game?" Rei wondered.

"What else does it say?" asked Kaworu, putting aside his tin.

"You roll the dice to move your token… doubles gets another turn… the first player to reach the end wins" Asuka said.

"Intriguing." said Kaworu.

"Hey Asuka what's that drawer there?" asked Shinji, pointing at a latch on the compartment of one of the panels.

Asuka opened the drawer. Inside were intricately created humanoid figurines in four different colors: blue, red, purple and black. Asuka picked up a red one and stared at it appraisingly.

"Wow, this one has four eyes… freaky."

"Let me see?" asked Shinji.

Asuka picked up the other three figures and moved her hand over Shinji's.

"Let Kaworu and Rei see… the hell?"

As Asuka dropped the figurines into Shinji's open hand, they immediately flew towards the board and started spinning in circles on its surface, finally stopping on the beginning of each of the four lanes.

"Oro?" said Rei.

"Strange…" observed Kaworu.

"Those are some strong magnets..." said Shinji, sounding uncertain.

"There are some dice here too." said Asuka, reaching back into the drawer.

The air was thick with foreboding mystery, however, Asuka seemed oblivious to it as she picked up the dice nonchalantly and threw them onto the playing field.

"Heh… six five." She said as the dice came to a stop.

Slowly, and eerily, the red figurine moved eleven spaces along its path.

"I guess that means we're playing…" said Shinji, as he nervously eyed the red piece.

"Yes… four pieces, four players…" said Kaworu.

"Hey… there are words appearing there." Rei noticed.

The crystal center glowed emerald, as yellow mist swirled around within it, materializing into words.

"You may think they're just short, black and peeving…" read Asuka just as the first verse dissipated, giving way to the second. "…but you'll find that looks can be deceiving."

"So what do we do now?" Asked Shinji.

"It looks like a clue to something…" Kaworu thought aloud.

"Feh… what a boring game!" Asuka complained loudly.

"We sure wasted our-"

She was cut off by a loud squawking sound accompanied by the rustling of bushes behind them, which caused all four heads to turn around in shocked apprehension. Looming from the bushes with black, featherless wings raised were short and plump bodies, four feet tall, painted black and white, carried by stubby webbed feet, and topped by yellow beaked heads, each sporting a gash of red feathers.

"Anyone would know what penguins are doing here?" Kaworu casually asked no one in particular.

The group of penguins, which comprised several, fanned out and edged slowly, and menacingly, towards the children.

"I don't like that look in their eyes…" Shinji said anxiously, squeezing Asuka's shoulder.

"This is not good, they seem to be organized…" Rei sharply observed.

"Anyone besides me thinks that the game caused this?" Rei continued.

"That's impossible… but then again… so are these birds." Answered Kaworu.

More squawking sounds are heard as more fowls appear around them as if from thin air, completely surrounding the children.

Resisting the urge to stare in absolute disbelief at these peculiar birds, Asuka slammed Jumanji shut and stood up.

"We're organized too." She said with a twisted smile on her face.

With a bloodthirsty caw, the foremost penguin charged forward, its jagged beak ready to tear…

==========

"How long have we been running??" shouted Shinji in between labored breaths.

"It's only been two minutes baka!" replied Asuka, who was in the lead.

Stampeding over soft earth and splashing up puddles as they hurried through the forest, Asuka, Shinji, Rei and Kaworu, fled hastily from their billed pursuers.

"They really know how to work those tiny legs of theirs…" commented Rei as she glanced to a penguin running alongside her a few meters away.

"We've already lost most of them." said Kaworu.

"They seem to find it difficult to stand up after they fall…" He added.

"Can you see how many of them are there left?"

"About… two or three."

Asuka stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"Asuka?" asked Shinji.

"WAARRK" screamed a penguin as it pounced at Asuka… only to have Jumanji smashed violently into its face with a noisy and woody thud.

The penguin fell to the ground several feet away, skimming along a little before coming to rest, unconscious.

"Why are we running when we out number them?!" Asuka asked testily, as she raised her foot high and brought it crashing down onto the skull of another featherless chaser, driving it straight into the mushy earth.

"Errr… am I counted?" Shinji asked anxiously.

"Of course you are you BAKA!!"

"It's OK Shinji, we can handle the fighting." said Kaworu reassuringly, retrieving a Swiss army knife from his pack.

"Kaworu! Stop spoiling Shinji!" shouted Asuka exasperatedly.

A thump was heard as a fist sized rock that Rei let loose at the last remaining penguin impacted dead on, causing it to stagger around dizzily before keeling over.

"Wow, nice throw Rei." said Kaworu, pocketing his knife.

"Oh, it's nothing." She replied a little bashfully.

"Let's finish the game quick… I don't want to be blamed for releasing man-eating penguins into the nature reserve." Said Asuka, laying Jumanji on a nearby tree stump.

"I wonder how this would affect the eco-system…" wondered Rei aloud as she held her chin with her hand.

Flipping open Jumanji, Asuka collected the dice and held it in front of her.

"So, who's next?" She asked, her hand on her hip.

The other three stared silently at her.

"COME ON!!"

I… I'll do it." Shinji said finally.

Asuka looked at Shinji in amazement.

_This is my chance to impress Asuka…_ He thought to himself.

_I mustn't run from this…_

==========

As Shinji read the dice and he felt his heart sink…

"One… two…"

"Don't worry Shinji, it's not your fault." comforted Rei as the purple piece moved forward three spaces.

Before long, cryptic words were swirling into existence within the glass again.

"Misfortune seems to arrive in droves…" read Asuka quickly. "…pray you're not around wherever she goes…"

"I don't like the sound of that…" said Shinji.

"She…?" asked Kaworu.

At this moment, an infernal, bloodcurdling howl echoed through the forest, causing birds to flee in panic from nearby trees. The party looked around frantically as Shinji felt his blood freeze in his veins.

"I don't like the sound of that either…" He said.

Kaworu turned to Asuka.

"I think we should continue running." He suggested prudently.

"Let's do that." agreed Asuka fervently before gathering up Jumanji and turning to run.

A mauve coloured blur lunged from the undergrowth several meters behind the party and landed on the earth on all fours.

"Dive for the bushes!" Asuka commanded.

The four of them hastily disappeared into the bushes just as the creature turned its head to the spot they were at moments ago.

It looked human. A human with greyish flesh and bits of purple plating attached various areas of his body. Its head was covered with a purple helmet with a single horn protruding from the forehead. Its staring eyes were green and lidless and its mouth was void of cheeks, ensuring that it had a permanent grin. This combination gave it an eerie impression of madness.

"…And I thought the penguins were bad." Said Shinji.

"Or impossible…" Added Kaworu.

They watched in silence as the creature sniffed the air, and then bounded toward the unconscious body of one of the downed penguins. After cautiously sniffing it, it sank its teeth into it and started tearing off and devouring pieces of it. The penguin squawked loudly in pain and agony as it awoke to find itself being eaten alive. More squawks indicated that the others had heard the calls.

"It's occupied… let's sneak away…" whispered Asuka to the rest.

Slowly, the party tiptoed out of the bushes, wary of doing anything that might attract the beast's attention. As they got further, the tiptoeing turned into a hurried pace, finally culminating in a full-blown sprint. Once they were a safe distance away, about one kilometre, their collective heart rates dropped to a more nominal level.

"That was close…" Said Rei, cold sweat rolling down her cheek.

"Maybe we should just bury the game where no one will find it and forget about it." Suggested Shinji.

_Ahhh… but what about impressing Asuka?_ asked a nasty little voice in his head.

"Are you stupid? The instructions say the game must be finished..." Said Asuka.

"…and I'm not willing to find out what will happen if we break a rule…" She added.

Kaworu put a hand on Shinji's shoulder.

"Don't worry Shinji, we're all in this together, you are not alone." He said encouragingly.

"Kaworu's right!" Agreed Rei bubbly.

"Thanks… guys." Shinji replied, smiling slightly.

"Think we should get back to civilisation before rolling the dice again?" Asked Rei.

"Hmm… don't you think it will be irresponsible to release more demons in a populated area?" Asked Kaworu.

"That's right, we can't involve other people." Said Asuka purposefully.

"We have to finish this on our own… we started it and we'll end it." She added.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Asked Rei.

"There's an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of town, we'll do it there, not many things to wreck there."

==========

The mansion was a great one, though in considerable disrepair, its sizable oak doors were preceded by sweeping marble stairs, and was flanked by four huge pillars, covered with various creepers that held up an artfully carved ceiling, which took the shape of the stairway below it. Right above the door was a tiny veranda about the size of a normal door. Nucleating from this area were large paned windows, which were mostly shattered and had yellowed curtains. In the courtyard, was an out of order fountain flanked by unkempt hedge bushes. Surrounding this mansion was moss and vine covered brick walls, and standing at the tall and rusty gates… were the heroes of our story.

"So this is the place… it must've looked magnificent in its day." Said Rei.

Asuka skilfully scaled the rusty iron gate, which was a few meters high, as the others watched from below. With a little difficulty, she managed to clear it and climb down the other side safely.

"Come on guys, it is not very hard." She called from the other side, as she dusted the rust from her clothes.

Kaworu walked over the gate and kicked it open, causing it to creak and whine, as it swung apart.

"Yes Asuka I agree." He said, as Shinji laughed weakly.

Minutes later…

Clutching a huge bump on his head, Kaworu followed the party into the derelict mansion.

Dusting off the thick layer of dust on a table, Asuka set Jumanji on it and took out the dice.

"Your turn macho man!" She said irritably to Kaworu, holding the dice in front of him.

Kaworu sighed.

"Good luck Kaworu…" Said Rei.

"Very well then…" He said, before throwing the dice into the playing field.

"A three and six… not too shabby." Said Shinji.

"…and the clue?" Asked Kaworu as he watched the black figurine move forward nine spaces.

"Alone in the grave you shall slumber…" Read Asuka. "Till the dice rolls the gamblers number…"

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Said Kaworu gravely.

A flash of green light emanating from the centre of the game engulfed Kaworu, as his figure started warping and bending.

"What the hell is happening??" Implored Shinji.

In the next moment, Kaworu was pulled bodily into the crystal, vanishing totally. The rest stood there…mouths wide open, frozen with shock.

==========

Staring wide-eyed into the darkness… Kaworu despaired… as he felt the velvet cushions surrounding his body he banged hard on the cover above him. Feeling nausea building up in his stomach, he held his hand to his mouth. His heart beat intensely and his entire body broke out into a cold sweat. He squirmed uncomfortably in his coffin…

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

_Not again…_

__

_

* * *

_

Author's notes

__

I'd just like to say that no penguins were hurt in the making of this fic.

And yes... the dark elements are finally presenting themselves... hope you enjoyed them =D

Incase anyone was wondering, the gamblers number is seven.


	3. Death

Disclaimer: I own neither Evangelion nor the aforementioned board game; therefore I am not using it for any commercial purpose.

* * *

**_Greatest Fear_**

Chapter 3... "Death"   
  
By: Oblivious

* * *

A pillar of bright, emerald light emanating from Jumanji slowly descended back… allowing the shadows around the room to creep out from behind the surrounding furniture and once again embrace the silhouetted forms of the now three man party, visible only by the faint light provided by the beams of afternoon sun shining through the windows.

Standing in the entrance hall of the mansion, in front of a wrought iron railed raised platform with wide staircases coming down from both sides, were Shinji, Asuka and Rei, faces still imprinted with expressions of shocked surprise; a nasty surprise.

"Kaworu… he…" said the weak voice of Asuka, her face white with alarm.

"Looks like the game took him…" said Rei weakly.

_Kaworu… he looked as if he knew what was coming… _Rei thought to herself.

"Asuka! We have to get Kaworu out!! He's claustrophobic!!" said Shinji, urgency filling his unbroken voice.

"I know that!!" Asuka snapped.

"We need someone to roll a seven, that's what we need to get him out." She continued, with a sense of cool control that masked a heart, beating uncomfortably with anxiety.

"That's good!" Said Rei suddenly.

"What?" Said Asuka and Shinji in unison.

"Seven has the highest probability of being rolled on two dice, he should be out in no time." Rei explained breathlessly.

"Then hurry up and roll! I'm sure Kaworu is…" Started Asuka.

Her voice was cut short by a familiar, unholy howl of dread originating from beyond the entrance doors, followed swiftly by a heart dropping smash, felling the dust from the intricately carved oak door as it buckled against the frenzied assault.

"**_GWOOOOOOOOHH!!!"_**

"It's THAT thing." Said Shinji, fear constricting his voice as he backed away from the door in fear.

"**_IKA… RI…_**" said a monstrous, rasping voice. "**_SHIN… JI…_**"

For the second time that day, Shinji felt his blood freeze in his body.

"It's not after me… is it…??" He asked distraughtly, although he already knew the answer.

"Don't faint on us Shinji!!" called Asuka, who snapped Jumanji shut.

"We need to put some space between us and that monster…" She said, beckoning to Rei and Shinji.

"Aside from space… some cold, sharp steel would be useful too…" Said Rei from in front of an opened glass display, swiftly unsheathing an antique knight's sabre that caught the light in a stylish fashion as she flourished it deftly.

_Two years…since I last…_ Thought Rei to herself as she held the red stained sword up to her face.

_Smelt blood…_

"We haven't got all day Zoro girl! Move it!!" Shouted Asuka from the staircase, as the entrance doors gave out another crash.

Rei closed her eyes and nodded her head in silence as she slid the blade into its scabbard, turning to look furtively at the crumbling door before swiftly following after Asuka.

==========

_Which damn sadist made the coffin one size small?_ Thought Kaworu unsteadily as he held his hand to his mouth for what seemed like the thousandth time to halt the flow of swiftly rising nausea. Each effort and each thought demanded such a large portion of his spirit, as the overwhelming void beyond him seemed determined to strangle the life from his body.

Kaworu despaired as he glanced at the illuminated face of his watch. His fear was likened to a deadly poison; spreading throughout its victim's entirety, paralysing and decaying him in its dread grasp, from which escape was less probable than a romantic fairy tale…

Kaworu was experiencing it for a second time… the first had taken the colour from his hair.

_It's been… two hours…_

_Asuka… Shinji…Rei…_

_Mother…_

**_A pitiful amount of two hours is hardly the extent of my powers…_**

It sounded sickly amused.

_Who… who is there??!!_

For the next moment of silent expectation of a reply, only the sound of his thumping heart and heavy breathing was audible to him.

_Am I going mad already?_

At this moment… he heard it.

**_Poor child… what pain you have to suffer…_** It said in a tone of mock concern.

_Who… who are you?_

**_Abandoned by his friends… all he can do is rot and die here in agony and obscurity… _**It laughed maliciously after it said this.

"YOU LIE!!" shouted Kaworu out loud in a wrath that he had all but forgotten. "I know my own friends well enough you… fiend!!"

**_How can you be so sure? How long have you waited? How long have you waited in this HELL??!! _**

****

"Go away! I won't believe your foul words!"

**_How could I pass up the chance to see you writhe in fear and despair?_**

****

"GET OUT!! GET OUT OF MY MIND!!" screamed Kaworu in indignation and exasperation.**__**

**_And leave you alone? _**said the voice in a vilely smooth way. **_You know as well as I do… that that's the last thing you want._**

****

"I have no need for the company of scum…" growled Kaworu defiantly.

**_If you're so insistent… then very well… but allow me to offer a deal before I go._**

****

Kaworu was silent.

**_Cede to me your piece, and you shall be released from your prison…_**

****

==========

"That thing… should be hunting for us now…" said Shinji anxiously in a hushed tone.

_Us? More like me…_ thought Shinji as he felt his insides squirm uneasily.

Passing by ominous looking sets of dusty armour and faded old portraits of illustrious figures long gone, Asuka lead the way down one of the mansions many dark, carpeted halls, followed closely by Rei and Shinji.

"It's been five minutes since Kaworu was taken… four since we heard the doors crashing down." Rei said as she examined her wristwatch, grasping her sabre tightly at her side.

"I think it should take some time for it to find us, good thing this place is vast." Said Asuka. "There's a room up ahead… we'll make our next roll there."

"Hehehe…" laughed Shinji all of a sudden. "…you guys are just great."

"Only now you notice Shinji?" Quipped Asuka haughtily.

"Hmm? Why do you say that?" asked Rei curiously.

"Ever since we found that game…" Shinji glanced at the box Asuka was holding under her armpit. "We have seen things… strange and horrible things we'd only see in movies and stories by… crazy, eccentric writers…" (o.O;;)

"And your point?" Asked Asuka, a little impatiently.

"You guys seem to be able to adapt so easily to these… changes." said Shinji admiringly. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

"Shinji! Would you just quit talking in wimp for once!?" snapped Asuka. "It's a bloody ear sore!"

"Uhh… sorry." Shinji scratched the back of his head apologetically.

"Grr… there you go again…"

"Don't be so mean to Shinji Asuka… I'm sure all of us are afraid as well." Said Rei sympathetically.

"I bet Kaworu is right now…" said Shinji moodily, his mood dropping sharply.

"The game…" said Asuka as she turned the squeaky knob of the room down the hall and pushed it creakily open to reveal a room with light streaming in through a window with foggy shards of glass and torn and faded curtains. The room was big enough to contain three elephants. Book cases, filled with fat books on difficult looking subjects lined the walls, and in the centre were two study desks with burnt out candles.

Asuka walked over the brownish red carpet to one of the desks in the room, laid the game on the table and removed the dice.

"Your roll Rei." She said gravely as she turned to face Shinji and Rei and held the dice in front of her, her brows furrowed in pessimism.

Rei held Asuka's gaze expressionlessly for a moment... when the corners of her lips curled up into a serene smile.

"That face doesn't suit you one bit Asuka." she said merrily. "Cheer up! I'm sure we'd rather be here facing monsters than in class listening to our boring history teacher."

Asuka stared at Rei blankly, mouth slightly open for a moment before returning the smile.

"Yes… you're right! Thanks Rei."

"Somehow… I doubt that." Shinji muttered darkly.

_Girls…_ Shinji thought to himself.

Rei reached out with her hand and closed it around the dice on Asuka's open fist.

"Here I go…" she said, and threw the dice from where she was standing onto the playing surface.

Impacting the surface of the playing field with a knock, the dice rolled around, hitting the boundaries before finally coming to a stop on…

"It's an eight…" said Shinji, giving a sigh.

Everyone stood in silence, as the blue figurine slid along its pawn path eight spaces. Soon, the cryptic green words were appearing within the confines of the deep green orb once again.

"Plague-like they decay…" read Asuka. "…advancing, ever spreading… slayer of nations."

"Fascinating… it even makes haikus." observed Rei.

"Could it be a swarm of insects?" wondered Shinji.

"Hey there's something appearing underneath the board…" said Asuka, lifting up Jumanji.

Spreading slowly, but surely across the desk was a quivering circle that seemed to be made up of millions of infinitesimal particles. It was a deep crimson, glowing red that was swirling about within itself. There seemed to be a depression, a cavity in the desk that grew bigger along with the rough, growing circle. Faint crunching sounds were just audible in the still silence.

"It's… eating away at the table." said Shinji, astounded at the sight before his eyes.

"At least it's incapable of chasing us." Said Asuka, closing the game. "Let's get out of here before we're all devoured."

"Yes good point." Said Rei.

Asuka tore her eyes from the gradually growing virus on the gradually shrinking table and made for the door, followed by Shinji and Rei. When it gave a mighty tremble as a huge mass beyond it hurled itself into it.

**_"GWOOOOOOOH!!!"_**

Shinji let out terrified gasp as he felt his insides freeze up.

"Remind me to pick a room with two exits next time…" said Asuka.

"The door's not going to last…" Said Rei as sawdust flew from the rapidly increasing cracks appearing around the freshly made dent in the door.

Rei swiftly unsheathed her blade and assumed a forward leaning position used mostly by pool players, using her free hand to aim the tip of her blade at the centre of the door.

"Rei what are you-" was all Shinji could say before Rei leapt like a shot from her crouching position and drove her steel plated blade straight into the door just before the beast impacted it, securing a high pitched howl of pain from beyond the door. Sure that her steel had rend through flesh, a tiny, but visibly twisted smile flashed across Rei's face as she put her foot on the door and wrenched out the blade, obtaining yet another wail of anguish. A spurt of deep crimson blood issued from the hole made by the sword thrust in the door as a body was heard collapsing to the ground beyond the door, staining Rei's blue jeans and white collared shirt. She pulled open the door and into the room fell the purple horned, insane looking monster that had scared the daylights out of Shinji Ikari. It raised its hand back and started to growl menacingly at Rei, but was cut short when Rei stabbed her crimson stained blade into its throat and twisted it forcefully with a sick, tearing sound before yanking it out of the dying monsters body again.

It spurted out blood both from its mouth and holes in its body in torrents and writhed in agony for a few moments before finally ceasing all movement. Rei giggled faintly as she vigorously swung the blood dripping sabre to her side, flinging the blood from it and splashing a cherry red line across the walls.

Asuka and Shinji didn't even notice their earth bound jaws as they mutely watched the extraordinary exhibition of violence and sadism.

Rei sheathed her blade and turned to face Asuka and Shinji.

"The way's clear now." She said emotionlessly before she turned back and walked over the monster's corpse and out the door.

Displaying incredible of presence of mind, Asuka turned back to look at the spreading virus. It had reduced the table to nothing but a few planks and appeared to be spreading along the floor with greater speed.

"D-did… that j-just really happen…?" asked Shinji weakly, oblivious to the impending danger.

Asuka grabbed Shinji's limp hand and hastily pulled him away from the expanding disease colony.

"Let's get out of here…" she muttered before dragging a stoned Shinji out the door, careful to step over the corpse blocking the way… which, when both all backs were turned, twitched.

==========

"Rei! That was BADASS!!" said Asuka excitedly when they exited the mansion and entered the garden, which was filled with overgrown and unkempt hedge bushes and grass that tickled the passer-by's knees, which thankfully, didn't extend onto the stone path leading to a vine infested gazebo.

"I am… not particularly proud of that skill Asuka…" said Rei softly.

"It was definitely helpful back there though." said Shinji encouragingly.

"Thank you Shinji…" said Rei, smiling faintly at Shinji.

When they entered the gazebo, Asuka laid the game in the centre of the floor and sat down beside it. Opening the cover, she retrieved the dice.

"My roll now…" She said softly. "Hope it's a seven…"

"How long has it been Rei?" Asked Shinji.

"Eleven minutes since Kaworu was taken… six minutes since I wasted that demon." Replied Rei, saying that second bit with a hint of relish.

As Asuka threw the dice, all present instinctively took a deep breath.

"Six… one!!" Asuka read triumphantly.

As Asuka's piece slid forward under some mysterious manipulation, the green orb in the centre glowed a bright green… when a body wearing a black jacket, white shirt and pants, materialized in mid air over Shinji.

"Kaworu…!" said Shinji just before the influence of gravity took effect on Kaworu's body and pulled it toward Shinji. "Waah!!"

For some reason, Kaworu neither made a sound, nor moved.

"Kaworu?" asked Rei, reaching down and turning Kaworu's body off Shinji's.

"Kaworu! Is he alright?" asked Asuka worriedly.

Kaworu was staring blankly into space.

"He's… all pale!" gasped Shinji as he looked right to see Kaworu's ashen visage.

"Kaworu's skin has always been WHITE Shinji??" said Asuka exasperatedly.

"No, no… he seems paler than usual…" Shinji maintained as he sat up, eyes still on Kaworu.

"How do you tell something like that?!" questioned Asuka incredulously. "Oh… the clue!!"

"He's still feels warm and…" said Shinji as he pressed his fingers to Kaworu's neck. "…breath and pulse have been confirmed... he's alive"

"Then… what's happened to him? Has he fainted?" asked Rei.

"His retinas… damn… we took too long…" said Shinji, shining a torch light straight into Kaworu's eye as he held them open with his fingers.

"What do you mean?" asked Asuka, her eyes fixed on the misty words appearing in the green orb.

_Although your mind to none you yield… there are times you shouldn't trust your A.T field…_ Read Asuka silently. _What's that supposed to mean?_

"Everything points… there's a high chance that he's in a state of catatonia…" said Shinji.

"How…?" asked Asuka.

"My parents… they work at NERV hospital remember?" reminded Shinji. "You never remember anything about me Asuka…"

"Like hell I don't… little man…" said Asuka with a tiny giggle.

Rei started giggling uncontrollably.

"W-what's that supposed to mean??" asked an embarrassed Shinji, his face turning red.

_Damn it… giggling should be outlawed._ He thought furiously as the pair of them burst out in a tirade of giggles.

"E-enough of this! Asuka! What's the clue?!" said Shinji uncharacteristically imperiously.

"I don't know… I think it was-" She was cut off when she was engulfed by a flash of white light, which caused her body to go rigid and eyes to roll up into her skull.

"What's happening?!" exclaimed Shinji in shock.

Rei turned to source of the beam of light engulfing Asuka. Standing, or hovering, there was a huge, white snake with an oversized head and a gigantic, cavernous mouth, lined with rows of sharp teeth. Protruding out of its head were huge, white wings and blade like and pointed appendages that seemed poised in concentration. On its forehead was a shiny orb of deep crimson.

==========

Strapped to a wooden table and unable to move, Asuka broke into a cold sweat as she struggled helplessly at her bonds. Watching the periods of an enormous crescent blade five feet above her that was dripping with blood, chained the ceiling swung above her, a profound sense of dread swept through her body… it seemed to be speaking to her.

From the left, it sliced morbidly through the air, swinging to the right, dropping down an inch or so with a heart-stopping thud.

**_DEATH_**

From the right, Asuka watched the blood stained cutting edge with horrified concentration as it completed its period, dropping another inch with the same, gruesome thump.

**_DEATH_**

"I don't want to die…" said Asuka defiantly as the blade sadistically swung once more and lowered itself again, her fear spreading and intensifying so much that apart form the avatar of death above her, that was almost all she knew.

**_DEATH_**

_I don't want to die…_ Asuka closed her eyes and prayed for the blade to evaporate, her all-consuming trepidation starting to constrict her windpipe.

**_DEATH_**

_I don't want to die…_

**_DEATH_**

She could smell the horrible stench of rotting blood that encrusted the blade's surface as it passed, inches over her face.

**_DEATH_**

_I… DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!_

* * *

Author's notes

Didn't think you saw the end of Eva Unit 01 did you? =P

Evil Rei plus Sword equals Win

I remember Tim Alan also used a sword in the original movie, but he really didn't use it as satisfyingly as I would've liked. Hence this. smiles evilly

O yea… this mansion is a merely a figment of my imagination.

Hmmm I think I'm getting good at this rhyming thing. I remember sitting for more than half and hour, staring at the screen when I did my first two. Xx

I hope you like my haiku =D they're so much easier to make.

o.O;; I thought of that dialogue for Shinji because I kept sneezing when I wrote that part. Or was it the other way round… o.O;;

I made the description for Arael from that piece of fanart that was animated by Gainax. I'd give a URL but it seems FFnet has a habit of abducting them.

_O yes I almost forgot… proofreaders for my fic are very welcomed_


	4. Hunted

Disclaimer: I own neither Evangelion nor the aforementioned board game; therefore I am not using it for any commercial purpose.

* * *

**_Greatest Fear_**

Chapter 4... "Hunted"  
  
By: Oblivious

* * *

"Shinji, please take care of Asuka and Kaworu…" Said Rei as she readied herself.

"Be careful Rei!" Called Shinji as Rei, anxious for Asuka's release, leapt off the wooden platform and sprinted fast toward the snake-like fiend, drawing out her bloodstained sabre with a brandish. Ignoring the long grass whipping at her jeans, her shoes pounded the soft earthy field rapidly as she closed the distance for the fatal slash.

Shinji was distraught; no amount of shaking and calling could awaken Asuka from her trance. Cold sweat had broken out all over her face, which was beginning to become paler than Kaworu's and her pulse was racing perilously quickly.

_Asuka… what should I do?! _Shinji held Asuka in his arms as he wracked his mind in vain for a solution.

_I'm so… useless… _He thought to himself as he helplessly felt the life slip out of Asuka's fidgeting body, through his fingers.

Sensing a movement on the edge of his vision, Shinji turned his head… all there was to be seen was the grass around the gazebo and the mansion they left behind. Nothing.

Screaming out a spirited battle cry as her target entered the reach of her sabre, Rei focused every ounce of her momentum and strength into a single upward swing with her blade… before careening headlong into a virtual wall of concentric, glowing polygons that seemed to distort only slightly under the force of her charge. She gasped as her breath and a measure of her resolve was knocked from her body by the intangible barrier.

_What the… that's not fair… _She complained inwardly, feeling increasingly frustrated by the eccentricities of the game.

Shinji looked toward Kaworu's unmoving figure, then into Asuka's white, unseeing eyes. Feelings of dismay brewing maliciously together with despair and a sense of inescapability were starting to drive Shinji over the edge… when he remembered his father's words…

_Son… when you have a problem, you face it like a man!_ Said the unshaven face of his father as it stared with those hard, black eyes of his over its orange tinted spectacles at Shinji's face.

_So you can run from responsibility?!_ Screamed back Shinji at the time… his father could be such a bastard sometimes.

Shinji thought that he'd be flayed within an inch of his life, he had seen the kind of wrath his father was capable of… but the blow never came… he even thought, maybe even imagined that he saw a tiny, devious smile curl in the corner of his father's mouth… but that was impossible, it didn't make sense. For the life of him he couldn't fathom his father…

_Well whatever… I'll never become like him…_ _I'm not like him. I mustn't run away! _Shinji resolved determinedly. _But… what do I do?? _He wondered helplessly. He looked back into Asuka's unconscious visage… and remembered all the times they had fought over such petty things, all the times they had stuck up for each other, and what his life would be without her… he couldn't bear to think of it. At this moment, an inspiration, and a realization hit him with the force of… something forceful… Shinji felt warm emotions well up in his heart. "Forgive me… Asuka." He said purposefully.

==========

"Say Yui… how long has it been since our son left for that trek?" asked Ikari Gendo as he snipped a leaf off a bonsai plant he had on the dinner table.

"Quite a few hours." replied Ikari Yui, sitting opposite him from behind some upheld newspapers.

A thoughtful moment of silence passed as the grandfather clock behind them ticked away.

"Since when did that kid learn to trek?" Asked Gendo.

"Don't worry, he's with Asuka, he should be fine. He's really lucky to have her as a friend." said Yui reassuringly.

"If you say so…" Replied Gendo.

Reaching to the side without looking to take his cup, Gendo accidentally knocked over another empty one. It fell off the table and shattered into many tinkering pieces.

"That was Shinji's cup…" said Gendo as he stared down at it expressionlessly.

"Oh dear… I'll go get a dustpan." said Yui, setting down the papers before standing up and walking off towards the closet.

Setting down his tiny pair of bonsai trimming scissors, Gendo stood up and took his coat off a nearby chair.

"Yui, I'm going out! I'm out of cigarettes!" He called to Yui as he walked towards the front door.

"You don't smoke dear." called Yui from inside the closet.

"I'm leaving." announced Gendo, opening the front door.

"Have fun dear!" Yui called back, smiling into the dim closet as Gendo closed the door behind him.

==========

Rei let loose a shout of frustration as her latest attempt to make a breakthrough failed. She had expended much of her will struggling to break the luminescent, ethereal obstruction barring her from cleaving a bloody path into her adversary… barring her from saving a friend… even though she had only known her for awhile she felt as if she had known her for a long time.

_What would Sensei do…?_ She wondered as she closed her eyes and endeavoured to calm herself… fury seldom wins a true battle.

As she cleared her mind, she sheathed her blade, not releasing the hilt of her grasp after it clicked metallically against the guard, and slid a foot slowly forward. In a few moments, a feeling of focused serenity swept over Rei… whether it was simply blind hope or pure inspiration, she knew with certainty that this demon would fall… in more than one piece.

_This is Zen._

"BAKA SHINJI!! WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING??" screamed a voice somewhere behind Rei.

**_NOW!!_**

Time slowed just as Rei's eyes opened wide to catch a glance of the monster, reeling as its concentration shattered before Rei, with complete meditation, leant forward as she took a running step, brought her elbow down… and drew. The crimson tainted blade sadistically sang its metallic note of fated doom as it sprung from its guard, carved through the air unstopped by any shield, intangible or otherwise, and gouged deep into corrupted flesh, erupting a thick shower of burgundy.

Shinji felt the world spin around him as he clutched the sizable bump on his head. Sprawled over the ground, he groaned as Asuka stood over him, fist shaking uncontrollably.

"_You…" _growled Asuka.

"I'm sorry Asuka! I won't do it again! I SWEAR!" Shinji pleaded as if his life depended on it, which it might as well did.

"_DARE…"_ Asuka continued menacingly.

Shinji forgot about Jumanji, about his father, forgot about the horrors he had seen that day… the wrath of the Red Devil before him had wiped all of that from his world. He prayed.

"CALL ME UNCUTE???" The words spewed from her mouth with more fury and intensity than lava from a volcano as Shinji tried his best to squeeze himself into one of the gazebo's corners.

"Block that… bastard." Snarled Rei in a strangely adorable way as she held her blade, which was once again soaked with blood over the neatly bisected, dying demon on the floor. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she watched as the severed lower body of the angel flipped restlessly, struggling against its inevitable death. It bore a striking resemblance to a freshly separated lizard's tail, except that it spewed blood by the bucket and made a general mess of the place. All its upper body could do was thresh its claws around in vain and howl in agony.

Rei slowly lowered her dripping blade.

"Still alive?" she whispered softly as she surveyed the ghastly scene with tranquillity. "I feel sad for you…"

Asuka grabbed Shinji by the collar and pulled him close. This might actually give Shinji a blush if Asuka's eyes weren't flashing like death rays.

"I'll… _kill _you…" She said in a dangerously soft whisper.

At this moment, Shinji remembered something.

"Rei… she went after the monster!" Shinji informed urgently.

"Rei…" Asuka repeated with anxiety in her voice, looking around frantically, she let go of Shinji.

"Where is she?" Asuka wondered.

Shinji breathed a silent sigh of relief at this narrow escape.

Asuka clapped eyes upon a blue haired, lean figure, drenched and dripping in blood, just before it stabbed a long and pointy metal object into the shiny red orb of the wasted fiend.

"Oh that must be her." Asuka said with an uncertain sense of familiarity.

"Yup… that's her." Confirmed Shinji with certainty.

Suddenly, Shinji's heart skipped a few beats as he felt the gaze of murderous eyes upon his back. He spun anxiously around to seek out the dread beholder… in vain, for there was no dread abomination, no vicious predator to be seen anywhere within the mansion's shady windows, the surrounding grassland, or the derelict ruins of forgotten statues. He scanned the area more thoroughly, he was certain he had felt something… but where…?

"Shinji what are you doing?" Asuka inquired curiously, as she shrugged away a sneaking feeling she had forgotten something… annoying.

"There was someone, something staring at me back there…" Shinji said with terrified certainty.

Asuka passed a casual glance over the building and the surroundings.

"I don't see anything…" She said.

All of a sudden, a familiar voice was heard.

"I sense… a thirst for blood." it said.

Elation filling his heart, Shinji turned toward the voice's direction. Kaworu was sitting up with his hand in his white hair, messaging his aching head.

"Kaworu!" yelled Asuka in surprise.

"Kaworu! Are you alright?" asked Shinji anxiously before hurrying to Kaworu's side.

"I heard your voice calling to me from within that dark abyss Shinji… I thank you…" said Kaworu, smiling at Shinji.

"Kaworu's up already?" asked an exhausted sounding Rei.

"Rei?!" exclaimed Shinji. The haphazardly splashed blood on Rei's white skin and attire coupled with her emotionless face seemed to have a much greater impact up close.

"Rei you don't look very good…" observed Asuka, who seemed to sound somewhat concerned.

"Rei… what happened?" asked Shinji, the concern in his voice deepening.

"I killed that thing." said Rei expressionlessly as she squeezed her sword harder, careful not to betray the burning guilt that was eating away at her heart.

_Once a murderer, always a murderer Rei._ said an all but forgotten voice in her head.

_No… no it didn't have to end that way… _thought Rei as she grasped her forehead in frustration, unable to hold back old, painful memories.

_You didn't have to do that… why did you…_

Kaworu stood up and studied Rei's eyes, which were now narrowed, methodically. Silence reigned as the four of them just stood there, staring at Rei. Her entire front was streaked with blood, and her face and blue hair was dappled with red droplets.

_Could Kaworu have been talking about Rei just now…? Scary girl…_ Asuka thought to herself as she took a step back.

_What's this sense of unease…_ wondered Shinji as he gazed at Rei's poker face.

Shinji looked closer… he thought it was just splashed blood at first, but the fluid flowing upon her cheeks didn't comprise solely of blood…

Kaworu took a few steps toward Rei and took her into an embrace.

"Kaworu what are you-?" Asuka tried to ask, before Shinji put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head at her.

"Good girl… it's alright…" said Kaworu in a soothing voice as he stroked her back. "Just let it out, you don't have to hold it back…"

Rei was silent for a moment… before holding tightly onto Kaworu, weeping quietly into his shoulder.

"Take as long as you like, you have all the time in the world."

As Rei pressed her forehead against Kaworu's shoulder, her tears mixed with freshly drawn blood to form streams of red pouring down her face.

"That's what makes Kaworu such a great guy." whispered Shinji admiringly to Asuka. "He really understands people."

"T-thanks for saving me Rei." said Asuka with gratitude.

_And… sorry…_ Asuka thought remorsefully as she looked toward her shoes.

"Hey what about me?!" Shinji asked indignantly. He immediately regretted it. "Oh bugger…"

"Oooh… r-i-i-g-h-t…" said Asuka, smiling dangerously as she grabbed the collar of Shinji's orange jumper.

_It's lying in wait… I'll have to keep my eyes open…_ thought Kaworu as he continued to stroke Rei's back, prudently ignoring the sounds of agony behind him.

Before long, the reunited party of four was once again sitting around the exposed playing field of Jumanji.

"Someone tell me why we're out of the house? Better scenery?" inquired Kaworu.

"As we speak the mansion's foundations are probably being eroded away by a rapidly expanding colony of micro-organisms… it was my roll." Rei reported promptly. She seemed back to her old self.

"… Ahh…" replied Kaworu, seemingly unsurprised.

"Ready Shinji?" Asked Asuka.

"I'll just go ahead…" said Shinji, steeling himself for whatever horror was up next.

Shinji picked up the dice and flung them across the ivory pawn paths into the corner of the playing field… landing on five, three.

The four watched as Shinji's purple piece slid forward another eight spaces, which heralded the coming of the next hazardous challenge.

"Dark as dusk, black as night." Asuka read. "If you live you'll truly value your sight."

At this moment, the sky promptly turned from the bright of day instantly to the dark of night. Plunged into almost absolute darkness, the four of them blinked. Though it didn't make much of a difference. To the unadjusted eye, the darkness was complete. For just a moment ago, it was midday.

What they didn't notice was the enormous black sphere striped with white floating over the roof of the gazebo.

"Son of a bitch…" muttered Asuka into the gloom as she squinted around.

"I think I have a torchlight somewhere around here…" said Shinji, feeling blindly about his backpack.

"Take it out Shinji, but don't turn it on…" said Kaworu quietly, with utmost caution in his voice.

"Huh? Why?" Asked Shinji, puzzled at these instructions.

"If there's anything out there, we don't want its attention." Rei was heard saying in the same vigilant tone as Kaworu.

"Not until we have a plan…" said Asuka.

A few tense moments of silence passed.

"Shinji did you hear?" asked Kaworu.

"Shinji." called Asuka, the anxiety evident in her voice.

"I'm here! Sorry if I worried you…" came Shinji's voice.

"Don't do that baka!" scolded Asuka through gritted teeth.

"_Cold… it's cold…"_ gasped Shinji suddenly.

A flowing, sticking substance had slithered up Shinji's arm, draining the warmth of life from it at an alarming rate.

"What the hell is this?? Someone help!!" exclaimed Shinji in panic.

"Eeah! It's on me too!" came Rei's frightened voice.

"Shinji! Your torch!" Asuka yelled.

Sounds of fumbling were heard for a second before a streak of light burst out of the murk, lighting up the gazebo once more, revealing a huge, nightmarish mass of black slime invading the gazebo under the cover of shadow and silence. Rei let out a shriek.

"Out. Now." said Asuka before proceeding to pull Shinji out of the liquid shadow's grasp.

"Rei give me your hand." said Kaworu calmly.

==========

Shinji heaved and panted as he struggled to keep up his pace. Asuka had led him away from the gazebo and was leading a way into the all-encompassing gloom. They had split up from Rei and Kaworu to escape the encroaching slime creature. It was very hard to see… only Asuka's outline was visible to him.

"Asuka… Asuka! Wait up!" Shinji called to the running shadow of a figure in front of him.

"Hey Rei, any idea how to stop a hell spawned wave of life consuming sludge?" Kaworu asked Rei conversationally as they beat a hasty retreat.

"I could try gradually whittling it down with my sword." replied Rei, trying to sound helpful.

"Okay seriously, when we blew that Popsicle stand I saw this huge zebra like orb thing floating over it…" said Kaworu.

"Want to try throwing magnesium bombs at it? I have a few." said Rei.

Kaworu stared at Rei.

"I guess that's a plan." He said.

Shinji bent over to catch his breath just as he reached the dark figure of Asuka, which had its back facing Shinji.

"You finally stopped, I was almost about to break down…" said Shinji, moving his hand to place it on Asuka's shoulder.

"Shinji?! Where are you Shinji?!" called Asuka, Jumanji in hand, scanning around helplessly in the dark abyss.

"I swear! He was just behind me…" She muttered furiously.

"There you are Shinji!" said Asuka when she saw a Shinji shaped shadow walking away in the distance. "Don't walk away like that… hey are you listening??"

She ran hastily after it.

Shinji placed his hand on Asuka's shoulder that felt strangely like… cold slime, which immediately latched on to his arm, sucking the heat from Shinji's body.

"AAAAHHH!" exclaimed Shinji, trepidation filling his heart, just when he felt a substantial hand place itself on his shoulder.

"Asuka there you-" said Shinji, turning to look.

It was at the same moment when fate reared its ugly head in the form of… Unit one.

Shinji just stood there, staring at the maniacal green eyes of the purple abomination, smelling its putrid, steaming breath, feeling the life draining entity creep up to his shoulder. Shinji wanted to run, but his body had been paralysed by a suffocating fear that threatened to beat his heart to death.

"…are."

"**_HWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!_**"

* * *

Author's notes:

I hope you enjoyed that one =D it really took some time to write, with my O levels and all.

Seriously, I just can't write a chapter without writing about Rei opening at least one can of whoopass.

And yesss Unit one is alive and scaring the daylights out of Shinji again… like she didn't do that already. Didn't think being impaled a few times through vital places would kill her did you? Maybe I'll make her regenerate a head next time. Just kidding =p

AHEM… maybe I'll make it AHEM RAIN. Wonder if it's a good thing to do o.O;;

Yea Shinji looks as if he's really finished… yes how will I get his ass out of this one…

Anyways… next chapter will be called 'Bonds' no not 'Bond' its 'Bonds'. Look forward to it =DD


End file.
